Detail

Heather House Berrio '02

Posted: November 7, 2012

After seeing an advertisement for Wilson College on the last page of a Horse Illustrated magazine, Heather House Berrio ’02 visited the school and enjoyed the intimacy of the small campus setting.

“Wilson was the only school I visited,” said Berrio of Wrightstown, N.J. “When I stepped on campus, I knew it was the school for me.”

She graduated from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in equestrian studies with concentrations in both equine management and equestrian management, and a minor in English. Berrio had taken business classes before, but wanted to become more specialized and the equestrian classes provided her with that opportunity.

“I wanted something more geared to my frame of mind — instead of saying ‘this is how you run a store, this is how you run a farm,’” Berrio said.

Berrio currently owns Threshold Farm, an eight-acre farm where she is starting a teaching program for all levels of riders.

Berrio originally came to Wilson to learn how to run a farm and credits her professors for inspiring her to teach. “The professors really encouraged me,” said Berrio. “They really pushed me to be the best that I could be without me even realizing what they were doing.”

Her teaching program is based on the techniques she learned through her classes and lessons at Wilson. Berrio loved the hands-on atmosphere of her classes and how professors took the time to get to know her.

“If I was sick and missed a class, professors tried to find out if everything was all right,” Berrio said. “I was home-schooled all through high school so this helped me feel more like I was at home. I knew I wasn’t a number.”

Berrio lives near McGuire Air Force Base and wants to give back to the families who have loved ones serving our country. She wants to be able to make her lessons affordable to the families who live on the base.